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19971122034239A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Robsin R22 BETA · Long Beach, CA · November 22, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 22, 1997 · 09:36 local
Place
Long Beach, CA
Airport
Long Beach - Daugherty Field
Phase of flight
Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
OBNL
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N45SG
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX98LA042
Reported as
Robsin R22BETA
Reported engine
Lycoming O320B2C
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,610 total2,255 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days
N45SGRegistration cancelled May 15, 2015 · Robinson Helicopter R22 BETAS/N 1472 · Built 1990Airframe modelRobinson Helicopter R22 BETAEngine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Acft tipped over on its side on landing. Long Beach, CA (.4)during the autorotation, the student allowed the aircraft to descend lower than he had previously and was instructed to increase his flare. The student said he believed this now meant that they would be executing a full touchdown autorotation; however, he did not confirm this with the instructor. As he leveled the aircraft a sink rate developed. The instructor reached for the controls to reapply throttle but did not announce his intention. The student held the throttle at idle and pulled pitch delaying the instructor's efforts with his tight grip on the controls. The aircraft fell though, landing hard on the left skid. The aircraft bounced and rolled onto its left side. The instructor had not briefed the student on the performance standards before executing the maneuver, nor had he announced the method to be used for a positive transfer of controls. The student did not verify the instructor's performance standards, recognize the excessive rate of descent, or relinquish control of the throttle.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT TIPPED OVER ON ITS SIDE ON LANDING. LONG BEACH, CA (.4)DURING THE AUTOROTATION, THE STUDENT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND LOWER THAN HE HAD PREVIOUSLY AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO INCREASE HIS FLARE. THE STUDENT SAID HE BELIEVED THIS NOW MEANT THAT THEY WOULD BE EXECUTING A FULL TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATION; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT CONFIRM THIS WITH THE INSTRUCTOR. AS HE LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT A SINK RATE DEVELOPED. THE INSTRUCTOR REACHED FOR THE CONTROLS TO REAPPLY THROTTLE BUT DID NOT ANNOUNCE HIS INTENTION. THE STUDENT HELD THE THROTTLE AT IDLE AND PULLED PITCH DELAYING THE INSTRUCTOR'S EFFORTS WITH HIS TIGHT GRIP ON THE CONTROLS. THE AIRCRAFT FELL THOUGH, LANDING HARD ON THE LEFT SKID. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND ROLLED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD NOT BRIEFED THE STUDENT ON THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS BEFORE EXECUTING THE MANEUVER, NOR HAD HE ANNOUNCED THE METHOD TO BE USED FOR A POSITIVE TRANSFER OF CONTROLS. THE STUDENT DID NOT VERIFY THE INSTRUCTOR'S PERFORMANCE STANDARDS, RECOGNIZE THE EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT, OR RELINQUISH CONTROL OF THE THROTTLE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98LA042Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLong Beach, CAthe flight instructor's failure to thoroughly brief his student on the performance standards of the proposed autorotation and the method to be used for a positive transfer of controls. The student's failure to verify the performance standards of the…Nov 22, 1997 · Substantial damage